Ramallah, May 21, 2025— ”My daughter's health is critically poor and continues to decline. She is not getting enough food or proper nutrition, leading to severe malnutrition,” Shorouq, the mother of Rahaf Ayyad from Shujaiya neighborhood, south of Gaza City, told Defense for Children International - Palestine.
A DCIP field researcher collected testimony from the parents of Rahaf, who is severely malnourished and dehydrated as a result of Israel’s campaign of genocide against the Palestinian people.
“I suffer from severe pain in my bones, making it impossible for me to walk,” Rahaf told DCIP. “I also suffer from severe hair loss.”
Rahaf began experiencing alarming symptoms of a sudden loss of strength, difficulty walking, and significant hair loss in December 2024. Her family sought medical attention from Doctors Without Borders and Al-Aqsa Martyrs Hospital in Deir al-Balah city. However, the tests only indicated malnutrition, despite initial concerns from some doctors about a condition called 'proteinuria.' After starting a week-long course of treatment for this condition, her health improved slightly, but it quickly deteriorated again.
“The doctors at Al-Aqsa Martyrs Hospital have identified Rahaf’s condition as a rare disease and there is no medical equipment available to diagnose it due to the destruction of hospitals and facilities from the bombings,” said Shorouq.
"During our medical visit on May 13, 2025, doctors at Patient Friends Hospital warned us that without treatment abroad, my daughter could face life-threatening consequences," added the mother. "The doctors reported that Rahaf suffers from kidney problems and the pressure on her body is currently concentrated on one kidney, putting her life at risk."
Rahaf's family left their home in the Shujaiya neighborhood of Gaza City after October 7, 2023, and sought refuge in al-Zawayda, Central Gaza, which they believed to be a safer area. They returned to their home in the Shujaiya neighborhood during the ceasefire in January 2025.
Rahaf’s house was almost completely destroyed, leaving only pillars and no walls. The family set up tents for shelter, as Rahaf returned to unbearable living conditions. She has become emaciated, her hair is falling out, and her features are barely recognizable.
“Rahaf cannot walk, and we can’t afford a wheelchair for her. Despite all our efforts, we haven’t found a donor. Her brother helps her move, but she suffers from severe bone pain—every gentle touch makes her cry out in agony,” said Rahaf’s mother.
“Her mental health is in a deplorable state. Every day, she anxiously asks, "When will my hair grow back?"
“My daughter cherished her blonde hair and took great care of it. Losing it has deeply affected her mental health. Doctors told us that much of her illness is a result of psychological distress.”
The Israeli genocide has left Palestinian children with a series of psychological symptoms, such as depression, anxiety, and behavioral disorders, which affect their psychological safety and cognitive and personal development.
Her mother added, “I try to engage Rahaf in activities like clay modeling, drawing, and coloring, but she’s trapped in a deep psychological struggle. She longs to move freely and play like her siblings.”
“I loved playing with Rahaf, especially brushing and braiding her long hair,” recalled 11-year-old Yara, Rahaf’s sister. “We used to enjoy going shopping together. Now, she’s in so much pain that she can’t even play with her toys. I can’t play with her anymore, but I stay by her side, hoping she’ll recover and be cheerful again.”
Israeli forces deliberately target Palestinian civilians, including children, in indiscriminate and disproportionate manners with the purpose of starving them to death, exploiting the entrenched impunity given to Israel’s ongoing illegal and belligerent occupation. Israeli forces have caused permanent physical and psychological injuries to thousands of Palestinian children in Gaza throughout the past 19 months of genocide, according to documentation collected by DCIP.
Gaza is experiencing famine conditions and around 93 percent of the population, (approximately 1.95 million people) are “classified in crisis or worse”, according to the latest report from the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification.
“We can’t provide Rahaf with any nutritious food,” her mother said with deep concern. “Her father is out of work, and we have no income. We rely on local charities for meals, but unfortunately, they don’t provide healthy options. I truly believe that if we had access to proper food, Rahaf’s health would improve. Doctors told us to keep Rahaf on a diet free from salty and unhealthy foods, but we simply can’t manage that with what’s available to us.”
“My deepest wish is to walk again, go to school, and take care of myself,” Rahaf said passionately.
She added, “Before my illness, my life was full of promise. I excelled in school and was always among the top students. Now, I’m determined to recover. My dream is to become an English teacher—English is my passion, and I’m good at it.”
Rahaf was close to being evacuated with her mother to the UAE for urgent medical treatment. On the evening of May 13th, she was at the European Gaza Hospital in Khan Younis undergoing medical tests, preparing to travel with other children by evacuation buses to the Rafah crossing. However, an Israeli airstrike hit the compound of the Hospital, delaying the departure of the group for evacuation. Rahaf is still waiting for the chance to leave Gaza and receive the treatment she urgently needs.
More than 65,000 children are at risk of death due to malnutrition and lack of necessary medical care, according to the Palestinian Ministry of Health.
57 Palestinians in Gaza, including at least 50 children, have died of malnutrition and dehydration since October 7, 2023, according to the Gaza Governmental Media Office. The true death toll due to starvation is likely much higher, as many Palestinians, particularly in northern Gaza, face famine and are entirely cut off from the limited humanitarian aid entering Gaza through the southern destroyed Rafah crossing.
Starvation is considered a crime against humanity and a war crime according to the Geneva Conventions and the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court, and is prohibited from being used as a method of warfare or as a deliberate act against a population. International criminal law makes it clear that intentionally using starvation of civilians as a method of warfare is an underlying act of genocide and amounts to a war crime.
Israel is employing starvation as a weapon of war in its continuing genocidal campaign against Palestinians in Gaza. It does so in full view of the world with complete impunity. Israel’s actions undermine international law in its entirety, and the continued inaction from the international community sets a dangerous precedent for any international rules-based order, and indeed the protection against atrocities around the world.
